Published: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 5:15 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 5:15 p.m.

Ocala Power Plant Director Kevin Reed's sudden departure as head of the Ocala-Marion County Chamber Economic Partnership's business incubator has left some close to the agency perplexed.

After being offered a presumably better position at the CEP as director of new business and development, a job he initially appeared prepared to accept, Reed abruptly left the organization.

CEP President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Sheilley said earlier this week that Reed wanted to pursue other opportunities. Sheilley said he was looking to fill two positions at the Power Plant: someone to oversee the building and its leases, which he hoped to fill by the end of May, and someone to work with the businesses. He did not say when he hoped to fill the latter position.

Reed said earlier this week he did not believe the new position was a good fit and said he was not told why he could not continue his work at the Power Plant, a downtown business incubator that encourages entrepreneurs with promising ideas to develop new companies and create much-needed jobs.

Others in the community, who thought the incubator was flourishing, were baffled by Reed's going.

“We're all trying to understand it as well,” said former Ocala Mayor Randy Ewers, who sits on the Power Plant Advisory Committee. “I don't know if we all know everything yet.”

Ewers said his concern is making sure that the Power Plant and the CEP “happen” and job opportunities grow in the community.

“We want to make sure the commitment hasn't changed,” Ewers said, adding that he wants to ensure Reed's position at the Power Plant is filled with someone who provides the skill set to help businesses.

Ewers said the job description that “hit the street” was basically for a person to be a landlord for those businesses renting space at the Power Plant building, which was occupied previously by the city of Ocala's building department and electric generation plant.

“Now I am hearing he (Sheilley) is hiring another person to work with businesses,” Ewers said. “That's what Kevin Reed was doing.”

Ewers said the committee is concerned that budding entrepreneurs get the help they need to be successful.

Frank Hennessey, who sits on the CEP board and is co-chairman of the Power Plant, said he has been out of town.

“I'm not a source of information on that topic,” Hennessey said. “I don't know enough about it.”

Ocala City Council President Mary Rich said she will be speaking with Sheilley on Friday.

Both the city and Marion County have invested in the Power Plant. The city owns the building.

“I was shocked because I think Kevin Reed was doing a great job,” Rich said. “So I don't know what happened. I don't know what caused it. I think he was doing a good job. He got the place filled in less than a year.”

County Commission Chairwoman Kathy Bryant said she was told the organization was reorganizing and it was decided to move Reed to the CEP.

“The last time we discussed it was at the CEP meeting,” Bryant said. “We were told the same thing everyone else was told.”

Ocala City Manager Matthew Brower said the city will be looking to ensure the CEP meets the requirements of its lease of the Power Plant with the city. When asked about what is happening at the Power Plant, Brower said, “Kevin Sheilley has decided to go in a different direction.”

He said they are looking for a replacement for Reed.

“My understanding is they are changing the scope a little bit and the new hire will assume those new requirements,” Brower said. “I haven't seen the scope, so I am not entirely sure.”

CEP Chairman Cory Pool said the CEP had a job for Reed. “He decided not to take it,” Pool said. “We wanted to bring him along for bigger and better things. At the last minute, he decided he didn't want to.”

Pool said he had dinner with Reed to talk about the new position and Reed seemed enthused. Reed also wrote about moving to the new position in the publication called “Innovation.”

Pool said he was “disappointed” Reed made comments that the Power Plant was going in a different direction.

“The CEP is fully committed to the Power Plant,” Pool said.

Pool said there are plans to bring in a micro-loan company to help smaller companies find financing.

Pool said Reed was accustomed to operating the Power Plant independently and suggested that, now that Sheilley has been hired as CEP's CEO, he may not be comfortable having to “clock in.”

Asked why Reed was not permitted to continue running the Power Plant, he said they needed his expertise “in a more global capacity.” Pool also said that, as an employer with his own business, when he asks an employee to do something, he expects the employee to comply. He said this was an example of trying to promote from within.

In January, the CEP hired Brett Barnes, who is from Kentucky, as director of business attraction.

When confronted with the suggestion that something seemed to have changed between the time Reed was offered the new position and his leaving that made it appear people at the CEP were disingenuous, Pool said, “I can see how people feel that way. At the end of the day, our plan was to help him grow.”

Ken DePasquale, who sits on the Power Plants Advisory Committee, was concerned about Reed's position being filled and went online to look for the posting.

“The only thing I could find was someone to operate the Power Plant as a quasi building manager, collector-of-rent kind of job,” DePasquale said.

That job was paying an entry-level salary of about $25,000 to $26,000, he said.

“Something is not right with this presentation that they are making,” DePasquale said about Reed's leaving. “But what it is, I can't even tell you because I don't know. If I had to guess, I would guess: Was it a political decision? There's no question in my mind. Something has gone awry somewhere.”

<p>Ocala Power Plant Director Kevin Reed's sudden departure as head of the Ocala-Marion County Chamber Economic Partnership's business incubator has left some close to the agency perplexed.</p><p>After being offered a presumably better position at the CEP as director of new business and development, a job he initially appeared prepared to accept, Reed abruptly left the organization.</p><p>CEP President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Sheilley said earlier this week that Reed wanted to pursue other opportunities. Sheilley said he was looking to fill two positions at the Power Plant: someone to oversee the building and its leases, which he hoped to fill by the end of May, and someone to work with the businesses. He did not say when he hoped to fill the latter position.</p><p>Reed said earlier this week he did not believe the new position was a good fit and said he was not told why he could not continue his work at the Power Plant, a downtown business incubator that encourages entrepreneurs with promising ideas to develop new companies and create much-needed jobs.</p><p>Others in the community, who thought the incubator was flourishing, were baffled by Reed's going.</p><p>“We're all trying to understand it as well,” said former Ocala Mayor Randy Ewers, who sits on the Power Plant Advisory Committee. “I don't know if we all know everything yet.”</p><p>Ewers said his concern is making sure that the Power Plant and the CEP “happen” and job opportunities grow in the community.</p><p>“We want to make sure the commitment hasn't changed,” Ewers said, adding that he wants to ensure Reed's position at the Power Plant is filled with someone who provides the skill set to help businesses.</p><p>Ewers said the job description that “hit the street” was basically for a person to be a landlord for those businesses renting space at the Power Plant building, which was occupied previously by the city of Ocala's building department and electric generation plant.</p><p>“Now I am hearing he (Sheilley) is hiring another person to work with businesses,” Ewers said. “That's what Kevin Reed was doing.”</p><p>Ewers said the committee is concerned that budding entrepreneurs get the help they need to be successful.</p><p>Frank Hennessey, who sits on the CEP board and is co-chairman of the Power Plant, said he has been out of town.</p><p>“I'm not a source of information on that topic,” Hennessey said. “I don't know enough about it.”</p><p>Ocala City Council President Mary Rich said she will be speaking with Sheilley on Friday.</p><p>Both the city and Marion County have invested in the Power Plant. The city owns the building.</p><p>“I was shocked because I think Kevin Reed was doing a great job,” Rich said. “So I don't know what happened. I don't know what caused it. I think he was doing a good job. He got the place filled in less than a year.”</p><p>She said 70 jobs were created.</p><p>“To me, that's good,” Rich said. “I don't know, but I will know Friday.”</p><p>County Commission Chairwoman Kathy Bryant said she was told the organization was reorganizing and it was decided to move Reed to the CEP.</p><p>“The last time we discussed it was at the CEP meeting,” Bryant said. “We were told the same thing everyone else was told.”</p><p>Ocala City Manager Matthew Brower said the city will be looking to ensure the CEP meets the requirements of its lease of the Power Plant with the city. When asked about what is happening at the Power Plant, Brower said, “Kevin Sheilley has decided to go in a different direction.”</p><p>He said they are looking for a replacement for Reed.</p><p>“My understanding is they are changing the scope a little bit and the new hire will assume those new requirements,” Brower said. “I haven't seen the scope, so I am not entirely sure.”</p><p>CEP Chairman Cory Pool said the CEP had a job for Reed. “He decided not to take it,” Pool said. “We wanted to bring him along for bigger and better things. At the last minute, he decided he didn't want to.”</p><p>Pool said he had dinner with Reed to talk about the new position and Reed seemed enthused. Reed also wrote about moving to the new position in the publication called “Innovation.”</p><p>Pool said he was “disappointed” Reed made comments that the Power Plant was going in a different direction.</p><p>“The CEP is fully committed to the Power Plant,” Pool said.</p><p>Pool said there are plans to bring in a micro-loan company to help smaller companies find financing.</p><p>Pool said Reed was accustomed to operating the Power Plant independently and suggested that, now that Sheilley has been hired as CEP's CEO, he may not be comfortable having to “clock in.”</p><p>Asked why Reed was not permitted to continue running the Power Plant, he said they needed his expertise “in a more global capacity.” Pool also said that, as an employer with his own business, when he asks an employee to do something, he expects the employee to comply. He said this was an example of trying to promote from within.</p><p>In January, the CEP hired Brett Barnes, who is from Kentucky, as director of business attraction.</p><p>When confronted with the suggestion that something seemed to have changed between the time Reed was offered the new position and his leaving that made it appear people at the CEP were disingenuous, Pool said, “I can see how people feel that way. At the end of the day, our plan was to help him grow.”</p><p>Ken DePasquale, who sits on the Power Plants Advisory Committee, was concerned about Reed's position being filled and went online to look for the posting.</p><p>“The only thing I could find was someone to operate the Power Plant as a quasi building manager, collector-of-rent kind of job,” DePasquale said.</p><p>That job was paying an entry-level salary of about $25,000 to $26,000, he said.</p><p>“Something is not right with this presentation that they are making,” DePasquale said about Reed's leaving. “But what it is, I can't even tell you because I don't know. If I had to guess, I would guess: Was it a political decision? There's no question in my mind. Something has gone awry somewhere.”</p><p><i>Contact Susan Latham Carr at 352-867-4156 or susan.carr@starbanner.com.</i></p>